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Renko
Renko was a seamstress who lived in Suou during Lord Momonoi's reign. She also printed an underground newspaper, and was in a relationship with Hozumi, Monomoi's son. Appearance Renko had long black hair that she normally kept in a ponytail with a ribbon. As a commoner, she wore a simple blouse and skirt for her everyday wear. Personality Renko was a very kind person, and well loved by many of her neighbors. She was passionate about the well-being of her country, endangering herself to print an underground newspaper that would later result in her arrest. Renko cared about Hozumi very deeply, and encouraged him in his endeavors, even allowing him to go warn his father about an impending revolt, despite the fact that Momonoi had tortured her not even a full day before. History Not much is known about Renko's past. It is unknown if she had any living relatives, or if she had lived anywhere other that Suou during her lifetime. At some point during Momonoi's reign over Suou, she met his son, Hozumi, and the two fell in love. Plot While lamenting the progress of the city's construction, Momonoi is made aware that his son had fallen in love with a commoner, giving a reason as to why Hozumi was interfering with the demolition of Suou's slums. After Sarasa and her friends make their presence in Suou known by plastering posters around the city, Renko invites Sarasa's group to hide in her house. Renko goes outside to check on the presence of guards, where she runs into Hozumi while he's painting. After promising to have lunch together, she returns to Sarasa. Renko reveals herself to be a seamstress, as well as the producer of a local underground newspaper, "The Suou Daily." When soldiers invade her neighborhood, telling all the inhabitants that their houses will be destroyed in preparation for new construction. When Renko protests, the guards threaten to sell her as a slave and surround her, only to be stopped by Hozumi. Hozumi also revealed that he has painted and signed the walls of the neighborhood, making it difficult to demolish the buildings as Hozumi's paintings have become famous among nobles. Later when Sarasa explains her desire to speak to the people of Suou, Renko informs her that meetings are forbidden. When Hozumi expresses his disinterest in the possibility of his father's demise, Nachi becomes angry, chastising Hozumi for being cold-hearted. Later, Renko comforts Hozumi, who tells her that he doesn't hate his father, but wants the world to change without violence. Unbenownst to them, one of Momonoi's aids is spying on their interaction, as suspects that Renko may be involved with the rebel newspaper. Sarasa tries to apologizeto Renko for putting her in danger for harboring Sarasa's party, but Renko tells Sarasa that Renko was only doing what she wanted to do. When Kakuji notices smoke in the air, Renko tells them that it's probably the soldiers burning a criminal as well as anything that has been banned, such as her newspaper. Reno wonders if she is strange for thinking that what the soldiers are doing is wrong, and expresses her wish for a world where people are not afraid to tell the truth and speak their mind. Later that evening, Hozumi goes by Renko's house to bring her some dinner, but notices a palace guard at the door. When Hozumi shouts to warn Renko, the palace guards knock him unconciouss and set Renko's house on fire. Sarah's group and Renko escape from the house, where they blend in with the curious crowd. Renko watches as Sarasa announces herself as Tatara of Byakko to the people and proclaims "his" dream of making Japan a "country without killing." After Tatara makes his escape, Renko mutters to herself that she'll have to make some newspapers. Immediately afterwards, Renko is seized by palace guards. A couple of Renko's friends from the newspaper run to where Sarasa and Kakuji are and beg them to help Renko. While soldiers denote explosives in Suou, Renko is brought to the palace and tortured for information regarding Tatara and the newspapers. However, Renko withholds information, instead insisting that she did nothing wrong, which only worsens the extent of her torture. Hozumi, unaware of Renko's circumstances, questions his father as to why he is being forced to stay in the palace, to which Momonoi responds that they currently have a disagreeable prisoner who claims to be Hozumi's friend. Moroni brings Hozumi to a slave cell, where Renko is being raped, but Hozumi, though he is disgusted by her treatment, is unable to recognize her at first. Whem he realizes moments later, Hozumi is horrified, but his father tells Hozumi to return to Kyoto and marry a noblewoman instead. Unmoved, Hozumi decides to sever his ties with his father in order to live his life with Renko, but his father responds by breaking both of Hozumi's arms. The next morning, Renko is tied to a cross in the middle of the town as an example to any rebels. The townspeople are told to throw stones at her, or risk being arrested as sympathizers. Sarasa and her friends free Hozumi from the palace, and attack the square using horses made out of wooden shutters. When Momonoi orders the square to be blown up with explosives he had had planted beforehand, Hozumi goes to where Renko is, causing his father to hesitate. Hozumi apologizes gor not being able to get Renko down, due to his broken arms, and proceeds to paint around Renko by holding his paintbrush in his mouth, stunning everyone into silence. Momonoi is the first to snap out of the trance, and, realizing that his son has truly forsaken him, order the square to be blown up regardless. Sarasa and her friends save Renko and Hozumi just in time, and escape into an underground water tunnel into the palace. Hozumi, though grateful for saving them, asks Sarasa's group to leave, since he doesn't believe in violence. Hozumi apologizes to Renko for causing her to suffer, but she tells him that he should feel sorry for his father instead, who now has no one he cares about anymore, and calls herself lucky. Renko and Hozumi use the water tunnels to make their way out of town. Hozumi asks her if she'd like to go to Kyoto, which Renko says is very far away. Renko notices a blood-like stain on Hozumi, which he tells her is only paint, but Renko recognizes it as a bad omen. The pair then hide from soldiers that are making their way to the palace, overhearing their plans to overthrow Momonoi. Hozumi decides to warn his father as his last act as a good son, and the pair head back to the palace. Renko watches Hozumi die when he shields his father from arrows. Knowing this was going to happen, Renko silently tells him that going to Kyoto was a far away dream and that she'd never thought that day would come. Renko tells Sarasa to inform the people of Suou that Momonoi intends to blow up the city. Renko is killed in the ensuing explosions while shielding a child from falling rubble.